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Friday, November 30, 2012

Waytha: Vell's claim Hindraf approached MIC 'absolute lie'

Hindraf has denied MIC’s claims that the rights group had approached MIC for talks in 2007, calling it an “absolute lie”.

“I wish to stress that at no time did Hindraf ever invite or engage MIC for talks in 2007.

“The statement by MIC communication chief S Vell Paari is an absolute lie and sinister in nature,” said Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoorthy in a statement today.

He was responding to Vell’s comment to Free Malaysia Today (FMT) saying MIC’s mistake was to “refuse Hindraf’s invitation” for alleged Indian “unity talks” in 2007 prior to the historic Hindraf rally in Kuala Lumpur.

Contrary to Vell’s claim, Waythamoorthy maintained that it was MIC who had tried to court Hindraf.

“It was Samy Vellu the then MIC president who desperately called me on November 22, 2007, three days before the mass rally, for discussion.

“Samy Velu even volunteered to drive down to Ipoh immediately to meet me as I was then attending to a rally in Ipoh.

“But I turned his invitation down as it was too late and that we have lost absolute confidence in MIC,” said Waythamoorthy.

Yesterday Vell (left), Samy’s son, told FMT that MIC who has been part of the half century ruling BN coalition, needed to hold Umno-style “unity talks” with opposition Indian figures for the benefit of the long-marginalised community.

“If Umno can invite PAS for such talks on Malay unity, why not MIC? The unity talk would only strengthen the community and enable it to make certain demands that is good for the community,” Vell had told FMT.

'MIC just worried about GE'

Waythamoorthy said MIC was now courting Hindraf out of fear of losing the community’s support in the upcoming general election, due to be called any time by April 2013

“Vell Paari is now making this call of ‘unity talk’ as he is worried that Hindraf’s blueprint is picking up momentum amongst the grassroots Indians,” he said, adding that the blueprint has received positive support from the Indians.

“MIC and Umno are now worried that they would lose the support of Indian voters forever now that Hindraf has gained momentum throughout the country over the last four months since my return.”

Hindraf launched its blueprint on Nov 25 on the 5th anniversary of their massive rally. The blueprint identifies six problem areas the Malaysian Indian community faces that need to be resolved in the next five years.

“MIC and their leaders are still ignorant on the reasons for the rise of Hindraf,” said Waythamoorthy.

“The Indian community have been enslaved for 55 years and the MIC has been used as a proxy party to pay lip service to the Umno hegemony and create a false impression that the rights of Indians have been addressed adequately.

“Hindraf reiterates that it will never deal with any proxy parties like MIC and stresses that what we seek is rights and not mercy. Our struggle is not limited to elections and gaining votes,” he said.